Restless legs at night time affecting your sleep? As a sleep consultant the symptom of restless legs at night time comes up quite often. Why is this happening, and how can we get rid of it? Before you go off and start buying melatonin and boat loads of vitamins, please read all the way to the bottom. Restless legs at night time can happen to anyone at any age. Most commonly heard of in adults and older children, this doesn’t mean it can’t happen to small children as well, they just don’t know how to tell you about it.
Why do we get restless legs at night time?
The actual cause of restless leg syndrome is actually unknown. What research has shown us is that low levels of iron and magnesium have been commonly found in people suffering from restless legs at night. Iron and magnesium play huge roles as micronutrients that our body needs to function properly. Almost one third of the world’s population has an iron deficiency known as anemia. Most cases are found in women and children. About 50% of the US population does not meet the recommended daily requirement of magnesium in their diet.
How does magnesium and iron help us sleep?
Iron promotes sleep in these ways:
- Oxygen transport
- Alleviates restless legs
- Relieves fatigue related to deficiency
- Maintains healthy cognitive function
- Helps with healing and restoration
Magnesium promotes sleep in this way:
- Muscle relaxation
- Regulates melatonin production
- Calming to the nervous system
- Regulates neurotransmitters related to sleep
- Improves sleep quality and depth
When we don’t give our body what it needs through nutrition and sunlight it can’t properly recover when we go to sleep at night.
What food can we eat to get the iron and magnesium we need?
As I said above, do not go out and buy a supplement unless your doctor advises you to. Why do I say this? Because too much of these micronutrients can be unsafe. So don’t freak out and go iron and magnesium crazy, it is actually simple. You can get everything you need through whole foods! Here are some power-packed foods to add into your weekly meals and check out these super foods for other fun food additions.
Iron & magnesium rich foods:
Spinach & kale
Peas
Green beans
Red meat(organic grass-fed)
Salmon
Black beans
Eggs
Nuts & seeds
Bananas
Avocado
Berries
Real nutrient dense foods are packed with micronutrients that will not only benefit your body but also your sleep. Choose whole, real food over, packaged processed foods and you will see a huge difference in your restless legs at night. Do you need support with your nutrition and sleep? We are here for you! Contact us today and check out our customized packages for all ages.
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